Cotton chopper



June 15 1926. 1,589,249

VAN BUREN SHARPE ET AL COTTON CHOPPER Filed Oct. 17, 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 15 1926..

VAN BUREN SHARPE ET AL COTTON CHOPPER 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 1'7,

2/ aw /w attozuzq June 15 1926.

VAN BUREN SHARPE ET AL COTTON CHOPPER 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Oct. 17 1922 Patented June 15, 1926.

umrso srrss ssazea PATENT OFFICE.

V AN BUREN SHARP E AND ETI-IEL WOODARD SHARPE, OF WILSON, NORTH CAROLINA.

COTTON CHOPEER.

Application filed October 17, 1922. Serial No. 595,069.

This invention relates to mowers and more particularly to intermittently operated corn,

' beet-stalk and cotton chopping machines for chopping and thinning out the rows of standing plants so as to leave the plants in bunches or hills.

The object of our invention is to provide a machine of the character referred to,

which through an automatically tripped, cam actuating mechanism, causes a recipro- "cating chopper blade to function intermittently at intervals dependent upon the measured space between growing stalks or plants ina row.

A further object of our invention is to provide a machine of the character referred to which will effectually chop stalks or plants of corn, beets, or cotton, at spaced intervals along a growing or standing row, without injuring such plants as may be left uncut. 7

Our invention will first be hereinafter more particularly described, withreference to the accompanying drawings, which are to be taken as a part 'of this specification, and then pointed out in the claims at the end of the description. V a In said drawings, Fig. 1 is a rear elevation'al view of my improved cotton chopping machine, illustrating its assembly and the manner in which the'vehicle straddles rows of corn, beet-stalks V or cotton plants, the chopping blade'being in normal position;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged partial view also in elevation of the rear of the machine, the

' trigger rod being shown in partially raised position and the chopping blade moved slightly forward at the beginning of its chopping stroke;

.Fig. 3 "s a detailed View in elevation and partly in section, takentransversely of the vehicle on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a detailed enlarged plan view of the blade carrying platform, taken on the line l i of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a partial enlarged detailed view in elevation and partly in section of the cam actuating mechanism in tripped position;

Fig. 6 is detailed sectional view of the actuating gear arrangement taken on. the line 6+6 of Fig. 3; p

' is an enlarged detail view showing in section theball and socket attachment' of the tripping rod to the chopping blade platform, and the pivotal attachment of the trigger rod thereto;

Fig. 8 is a perspective View of a modification of my improved chopping machine adapted to chop a single row of corn, beetstalk or cotton plants, in which a unitary assembly of the cam actuating mechanism and chopper blade with associated elements is used;

Fig. 9 is a perspective detail view of the trigger operated rod illustrating its operative connection with an oscillated cam tripping element, the former being fragmentarily shown; and

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary plan View of the trigger rod illustrating its yielding connection with a blade operated link member by which it is periodically elevated from operative position.

Referring to the drawings, in which like reference characters are used to denote corresponding parts throughout the several views, A represents a chassis or vehicle of the mower type having the usual traction wheels and drivers seat.

Spaced longitudinally of the axle and rearwardly extended therefrom by means of suitable transverse supporting members forming a part of the vehicle framewor is a rack member or work element support bar a provided at either end with laterally extended arms a to which suitable link members are pivotally secured to provide a flexible suspension for one end of the chop per blade platform a The other end of this platform may be supported by a linked chain, the latter being secured to an ordinary bell cran lever as illustrated, the manipulation of which in a well known manner will permit the blade carrying platform to be raised from operative position above the ground. To the underside of the bladecai'- rying platform a a shoe plate a is preferably attached, said plate extending forwardly and upwardly in a partial curve,

providing a guard for the platform which will accommodate it to the undulations of the ground and likewise protect the associated elements carried thereby from rocks, stumps, or other impediments imbedded in the'soil over which the vehicle may be driven.

fileciprocably movable between common uides a on the Jiatform a isa cho'i Jer' e l termediate its, other. end and within a: suitable space or ho lfiing provided therefor the: shaft carries a recessed or notched metallic collar. Z13 keyed thereto and' rotatable therewith, saidi collar being adapte to intermittent engagement w th protruding teeth or dogs. provided on an, opposing. idlingcollar I b", loosely rotatable over the same shaft, the two collar members being normallyou-t of engagement The collar 6 maybe th n gralwithor-k yed w an. ordinary pinion, b the latter being. also.

idly rotatable on theshaft 22%,. in mesh with and continuously driven by asuitablegear to be hereinafter specifically referred to; and described, to which, rotation is; imparted indirectly through a convenient gear arrangement, the driving power being preferably taken from the traction wheelsofthe vehicle when in motion, It willthus beseen that an ordinary dog clutch is provided, by

which rotation will be transmitted to the shaft .6? when the. collar elements. I)? and b. are caused. to, engage, with one. another.

Intermittent reciprocation of; the chopper blade B through the elements above describedis causedby afnovel' tripped cam actuating mechanism which is "conveniently carried by. a flat uprightsection mounted on.

the chassis orQ vehicle, said mechanism l com- 7 prisingv an ordinary beveled gear C, constantly engaged with and driven by-a similarly beveled gear 0.,ithe latter being keyed to oneend ofa driven shaft c corresponding essentiallyto the shaft 6?: Al pinion c oppositely disposed from the pinion b within. the same housing. and continuously driven by the same gear, permanently keyed tothe opposite 'end-ofthe shaft 0 One end of a pitman e is eccentrically connected to therbev eledgear 0, its. other end being" pivotally. securedto; the lower. extremity. of an element. 04 which forms one. of a pair of co-operable and complementary cam faced slide elementsdesignated c and 0 respectively, as clearly, shownfin Figs. 3. and 5, which latter are adapted to be normally reciprocably ino-vablenin unison between spaced guides e provided for such.

purpose 'on. the upright supporting section.

To the upper extremity. of thecam faced element 0 one end" of a pitman c is} pivotally connected, the opposite. endbeihg eccentrically connected to an element c gjthe latter normally having an oscillatory or rocking motion imparted thereto through the elements just described and. being. provided with a detent ornotch as indicated at 0 for a purpose to be hereinafter explained. A thrust rod 0 provided with a friction head or block is mounted atright angles to the edgeof the cam faced slide elements 0* and 0 Within suitable journal members provided for; suchpurpose on a laterally extended section of the upright support, and is preferably placed under the tensionof a small 1 spring therebetween, so.- that normally the; friction head. or block will: be held againstthe edge of the cam faced. slide a.

The opposite. or. forwardhcnd of the thrust rod is connected to an intermediatcly fulcrumedelever 0' the'latter. being preferably bifurcated. or forked at its freeend adapting it to fitover the clutch collar bf said bifurcated or forked endsbeingj lodged within a peripheral; groove milled or cut in said clutch collar. Itwill be readily understood thatwhen the oscillating. member 0 is suddenly interrupted in its normal oscillatory or rocking movement imparted thereto from the shaft 0 by the above described co -operable elements; the respective ca n faced elements. 0 and 0 (as shown in Fig. 5), will bedrawn apart, causing the cam,ele nl l tgc to forcibly press against the adjacent end of. the thrust rod 0 and thrust it forwardly against the tension of its opposingspring, thus actuating the fulcrurned rod ci 'fcausing itto. slidethe collar bf. rearwardly into engagement with the notched collar element 6. on the shaft, 5 thereby imparting rotation. to i the flatte r.

One end of a trigger rod D isipivotall connected to the. base portionof a trip r0 at, the latter being rotatively, secured at one endfto= the. base of the'chopp'er blade platform a by a suitable ball'and socket arrangementisuch as illustrated in, detail in nism hereinbefore described; said trip rodbeing squared at its free .end and pro jected through a square hole formed in one end of a trip or catch. finger 01 the latter being transversely movable inanIarcacross a; small shoulder member or supporting bracket cl? by meansof aslot and pin connection therewith as clearly illustrated in Fig; 9. The catch finger portiond? on the trip rod (Z. isnornially held clear of the os cillatingmember 0, aided by a small tension spring, interposed, between the catch finger and a small 'stujd. (not 'designated) .on the bracket d, but when the rod (Z. is slightly rotated within its journals (1, the catch finger or projecting portionfd will be brought into oppositionj againstthe detented or notched element so that it will catch or engage the notched portion 0 thereon, consequently interrupting the normal oscillatory movement of the same. It will be understood that the rod (Z is free to move up or down within the square hole in thecatch finger (Z as the'vehicle is driven over uneven ground.

Intermediate its ends the trigger rod D is suitably formed with an eye as indicated at al clearly illustratedin Fig. 2, thereby adapting it to a fulcrum connection with a projected two part or telescopical arm (Z secured at one end to a lazy-tong link member (Z one end of which is pivotally secured I to one of the stationary guides at on the chopper blade platform, the other end being likewise pivotally connected between the sections of a suitable bifurcated stud bracket 01 provided therefor on the shank portion of the chopper blade B. The projecting teleto draw the rod D to normal position.

lVhen the free end of the trigger rod D comes intocontact against the opposing base of a corn, beet-stalk or cotton plant as the vehicle is driven forward, the end of the rod will be caught and held from further progress over the ground with relation to the vehicle, thus causing it to ive or spring backward forcing the trip roc d, to which as hereinhefore stated it is pivotally secured and adapted to impart slight rotation within .the journals (Z swinging the associated catch finger or projecting port-ion d into position where the notclrc in the rocking member 0 will trip thereagainst, thus interrupting the normal oscillatory or rocking motion or said member, and causing the cam faced slides o and c to disengage and spread apart to actuate the thrust lever 0 as before described.

. lVithin a suitable dust proof housing provided therefor in the chassis or vehicle framework a large plate beveled gear rotatable with the axle of the chassis or vehicle is provided. Continuously in mesh with the gear E a pinion e is provided, the latter being k "ed upon a stub shaft which projects at rignt angles from the center of a flanged plate gear 6 to which it may be riveted or otherwise non-rotatably secured. The back face of the gear 6 as illustrated in Fig. 3,

may also serve as a cover plate for the gear hous ng permitting ready access to the gear chamber, in which case an annular metallic ring 6 bolted to the open peripheral edge of the housing casing may be utilized to provide a bearing support for the gear 6 and secure the former in place. Pinions c and b are permanently meshed with the gear 0 From the foregoing it will be understood that as the vehicle is driven forward the axle will impart rotary movement to the gear E, such motion being transmitted through the pinion e to the flanged plate gear 6 and subsequently to the pinions c and b, respectively.

The operation of our improved cotton chopping machine is as follows:

The vehicle A may be drawn by horses or other means along a row of corn, beetsta-lk or cotton plants. The free end of the trigger rod D will be interrupted in its progress with relation to the vehicle and drawn backward upon coming in contact with a plant and will accordingly effect the partial rotation of the trip rod (Z within its journals (Z swinging the catch finger or projecting-portion d into contact against the notch or detent in the rocking member tripping the latter and suddenly stopping its normal oscillatory or rocking movement, consequently holding the cam faced element 0 stationary and permitting its c o operable and complementary element 0 to disengage and separate therefrom as the latter continues to reciprocate between the guides 0 actuated by the associated pitman and gear arrangement hereinbefore described in connection with the shaft 0 the latter being continuously rotated by the pinion 0 So long as the oscillatory or rocking motion of the element 0 is thus interrupted, the co-operable and complementary cam faced slides 0 and 0 will be held apart as illustrated in Fig. 5, and the thrustrod 0 will be held forward, causing the fulcrumed lever o to slide and hold the clutch collar 1) into engagement with its associated member 6 Rotation to the shaft 5 and likewise to the crank 73 is thus imparted as the vehicle progresses and the pitman Z) impelled by the crank b vill actuate the reciprocable chopper blade B in a series of chopping strokes. As the blade B moves forw rd the lazy tong link (5, carrying the projecting telescopic arm i over which the trigger rod D is fulcrumed, will tend to fold together, consequently lifting or raising the rod D as indicated in Fig. 2, suiticiently high to pass over the tops of other plants in the row, preventing injury thereto until the chopper blade has completed several strokes, whereupon the rod will again descend to normal position by virtue of its own weight.

It will be understood that the blade may be reciprocated through a series of chopping strokes so'long as the catch ringer d on the trip rod (Z is held inengagement sired and accomplished withmy improved cotton chopper, the rapidity of operation -dcpending of course upon the ratio established between the sevral gears. From the foregoing it will is clearly understood that intermittent reciprocal motion is. impartec to the blade B periods depending upon the measured plants of corn, beet-stalk, or cotton. and that my improved cotton: chopping machine will intermittently out such plants at spaced intervals along. the length of the growing plants to thin. them out. V

In the illustrated embodiment of the in vention, as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, the wheeled frame straddles two rows of cotton, each cutterbeing adapted to operate on one row from the outer side thereof, the two rows being arranged between the two cutters; but it may be desirable to arrange bothcutters between two rows of cotton, in which case one cutter will be arranged slightly in. advance of the other, and insteadof a cutter operating on the outer side of each row, each cutter will operate on. the inner side of a row, or the side thereof which faces the adjoining row, the wheels of the vehicle however traveling upon the outer sides of the two rows as described but being arranged closer together than in tie arrangement shown in Fig. 1. Such rearrangement or modification will embody in its construction substantially the same combination of elements as that shown in Fig. 1,, operating in the same manner, to produce the same result, involving merely a rearrangement and adaptation of the cutters to operate between two rows instead of on'the outer sides of two rows.

Since various changes in detail and ar-v rangement of parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of our invention, we do not desire to be limited'by the appended, claims to the specific structure illustrated and described.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire-to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is': 1. In a cotton chopper, the combination of a wheeled vehicle having a cutter. carried.

thereby, a cutter controlling device comprising a'support; guides carried by said supdistance between growing means operated by said first mentioned element for throwing said drivingmeans into blade operating. position upon interrupted movement of said second mentioned element.

2. In a. cotton chopper, the. combination with a vehicle carrying a; stalk cutter; of a cutter controlling means comprising a support; guides mounted on. said! support; a pair of co-operable and complementary cam elements movable between said guides; means tor continuously actuating. one ofisaid elements and thereby causing both elements normally to movein unison; means for interrupting the movement. of one of said elements without interrupting movement of the other; together with axle driven means for effecting the operation of the cutter controllable through the relative movement of said cam elements. 3 p I 3 In a cotton chopper, a cutter controlling device comprising in combination witha Clitter and normally disengaged actuating mechanism therefor; a support; guides mounted on said support; a pair. of co-operable and complementary cam elements mov able between said guides; means for continuously actuating one of said cam elements thereby causing bOtl1=.0f said elements normally to move .inunison; an oscillating member normally actuated by the other of said cam elements; means for intermittently tripping said oscillatory member whereby said cam elements are temporarily dise'n-V gaged and spread apart; and means operated by one of said cam elements for-throwing said mechanism into cutter actuating engagement when said cam elements are drawn apart.

4. A cotton chopper comprising in combination, a wheeled vehicle; a stalk cutting blade carried by said vehicle; axle-driven mechanism adapted to movement in position for actuating the cutting blade;,and. automatically controlled means tor periodically effecting the operation of the blade therethrough, said means including co-operable and complementary cam-faced elements, a

rocking member; means connected with one. 1

of said elements whereby it is given a reciprocatory movement, and means connected with the other of said elements whereby motion is imparted to said rocking member, means for tripping said rocking member port; a pair of co-operable cam elements and therebycausing said cam elements to disengage and spread apart; together with means actuated by one of said cam elements when disengaged from the other for throwing said mechanism into blade operating position.

5. Ina cotton chopper, the combination of a wheeled vehicle; a stall: cutting blade can ried by said vehicle; normally idling mechanism driven by the axle of said vehicle for intermittently actuating the cutting blade; and means causing said mechanism to eliect intermittent operation of the blade, said means comprising apair of co-operable and complementary cam-raced slide elements and means for reciprocating one of said elements thereby causing both elements normally to move in unison between spaced guides, the latter means comprising a rotating gear, a pitman having one end eccentrically connected to said gear with its other end connected to the first mentioned cam element, a driving gear in mesh with said first named gear and adapted to rotate the latter, and a continuously rotating shaft to which said last mentioned gear is keyed, together with stalk and gravity actuated means for alternately interrupting and permitting the cooperative movement of said slide elements for periodically throwing the parts of said mechanism into and out of position for operating the cutter.

6. A cottonchopper comprising in combination. a wheeled vehicle; a support suspended on the vehicle; a reciprocating stalk cutting blade carried by said suspended support; normally idling and disengaged mech anism driven by the axle of the vehicle for actuating the cutter blade when thrown into operative relation thereto and automatically retractable stalk actuated means for throwing said mechanism alternately into and out of engagement and operative relation to the blade and intermittently efiecting a reciprocatory movement of the latter.

7. A cotton chopper comprising in combination, a wheeled vehicle; a stalk cutting blade carried by said vehicle; and mechanism driven by the axle of the vehicle for periodically actuating the cutting blade; said means including a rotatable shaft; a crank on one end of said shaft; a pitman connecting said crank and blade; and engageable gear driven clutch carried by said shaft whereby rotation is intermittently imparted thereto; and means for effecting the enga gement of said clutch comprising a fulcrumed lever having one end operatively connected with said clutch element and a thrust-rod connected to the opposite, end of said lever:

means for intermittently causing said rod to rock said lever, comprising cooperable and complementary cam faced slide elements normally reciprocating in unison between spaced guides; an oscillating element actu ated by one of said cam elements; and stall; actuated means for intermittently tripping osc llating element whereby said cam "ments are caused to disengage and spread t thereby causing one of said cam eleto impinge against said rod and more to rock said lever to clutch engagposition.

. A. cotton'chopper comprising in comion, a wheeled vehicle; a r -ciprocating stall-r cut ng blade; normally idling mechanism driven by the axle of said vehicle for actuating said blade; and means for periodically throwing said mechanism into operable relation to said blade; said means comprising co-operable and complementary cam-faced slide elements movable between spaced guides; a driven shaft; connecting means between said shaft and said cam-faced elements for normally reciprocating the latter in unison; a detented oscillating member roclted by one of said movable cam elements; and means for periodically tripping said oscillating member, causing said cam-faced elements to disengage and spread apart the latter means comprising a trigger-rod carried b y said vehicle adapted to contact with cotton KS when the vehicle is driven along a standing row; a bearinged trip-rod pivotally connected with said trigger-rod; said tri -rod being provided with a catch finger for engaging the detented oscillating member and slightly rotatable in its bearings when said trigger-rod contactswith a cotton plant, thereby swinging the catch finger of said rod into position against said oscillating member to trip the same, thereby throwsaid mechanism into operative relation to the blade.

9. The combination, in a cotton chopper of a wheeled vehicle; a cutter support sus pended; from said vehicle; a reciprocating cutter blade mounted on said support; clutch-controlled means driven by the axle of the vehicle for reciprocating said blade; and means "for intermittently throwing the clutch into blade operating position; said means comprising slidably mounted camfaced elements having inter-engaging cam surfaces constructed so that elements are caused to normally move in unison with out moving the cutter blade clutch while permitting one or" said elements'to disengage and move independently of the other, a shaft adapted to be continuously driven by the axle of the vehicle when in motion; connecting means between said shaft and. the first mentioned cam element for imparting continuous reciprocatory movement thereto in unison with or independently of the second mentioned cam element; means actuated by contact with cotton stalks for intermittently arresting the movement of said second mentioned cam element and causing the two elements to disengage and spread apart;

Its)

and means actuated by "said first mentioned cam element when disengaged from the other, for moving said clutch into blade operating engagement.

l0. Ina cotton chopper, a reciprocating cutter blade and normally disengaged actuating mechanism therefor, means for intermittently imparting reciprocatory movement to said blade throughsaid mechanism, said means comprising cam' faced elements slidably mounted on the machine frame with the cam surfaces thereof facing each other. constructed so that the two elements are caused to move normally in unison but to separate upon interrupted movement of one of them, means for continuously moving theother element; automatically retractable means actuated by the continuously mov nately interrupting and permitting the cooperative movement of said cam elements and intermittently cause said mechanism to:

be thrown into and out of position for operating the cutter. 1

In testimony whereof We affix our signa-' VAN B'URE-N SHARPE. ETHEL WOODARD SHARPE. 

